After Formo lost consciousness from a minor concussion, Serdin’s overprotectiveness intensified even further. Now he couldn’t even leave the bed without Serdin’s help. Not only that, but the occasional walks he used to enjoy—rare as hen’s teeth—had been temporarily suspended as well.
Formo glared at Serdin while wearing an absurd bandage wrapped around his head. Even though he had fainted, he wasn’t so frail as to deserve this level of overprotection. He was on the weaker side for a guardian, but he was by no means delicate. Moreover, Formo was a long-tailed tit who had enjoyed the luxury of drinking six drops of the Spring of Eternity when he was in Arancha Kingdom.
What this meant was that Formo’s lifespan was much longer compared to other long-tailed tits. Furthermore, since Formo was born with the fate of a guardian, his lifespan was bound to be even longer. And what about his health? While his family might consider him their problem child, he himself believed that when it came to stamina, he was a long-tailed tit who wouldn’t fall behind anyone.
How many arrogant long-tailed tits had underestimated him for being a small long-tailed tit, only to be knocked down by his outstanding endurance? Formo wore a bitter expression as he recalled the days when he boasted tremendous stamina. After injuring his wings, his endurance and everything else had only grown weaker.
What was he even doing here and now, dwelling on past glories…? Formo clicked his tongue with gloomy eyes.
“Ppi, ppi.”
Of course, from Serdin’s perspective, it looked like he was whining cutely out of boredom.
“Even if you make cute sounds, it’s not going to work, Pipi.”
Formo was dumbfounded watching Serdin jump to his own conclusions, but remembering his recent behavior, he decided to let it slide just this once. Lately, Serdin had been doing rather strange and peculiar things. Every dawn, he would open his mouth wide and try to shove Formo’s head inside, then hesitate and pull it back out—behavior that could only be described as bizarre.
At first, he wondered if the wretched human had sleepwalking or something, but seeing him mutter “This really isn’t right” while pulling Formo’s head out of his mouth, it was clear his consciousness was perfectly intact.
Then why on earth did he keep trying to shove the head of an innocent, good-natured long-tailed tit into his mouth, only to pull it back out?
Formo paced around on the bed, lost in serious contemplation. The more he mulled it over, the more absurd it was, with no answer in sight.
“Pipi, are you exercising right now?”
When Serdin asked playfully, Formo’s face, which had been serious all along, instantly turned fierce. Because of whom was he wasting his precious time on this bed! Formo wished Serdin would at least take him to the office.
If not that, then he didn’t even want to see his face. Having to look at that wretched human’s face for the past several days put him in a very bad mood.
Breathing heavily with irritation, Formo pointed at the door with his wing.
“Ppi!”
Serdin squinted his eyes, trying to figure out what Formo’s wing was indicating, then asked.
“You want to go out?”
“Ppit!”
Formo nodded his head firmly. How unusual for this wretched human to grasp his meaning in one go instead of getting it wrong. He was thinking that perhaps one more virtue could be added to the wretched human Serdin’s list when he suddenly burst into laughter with a soft flutter.
For some reason, he found it amusing.
Serdin looked slightly surprised when Formo suddenly burst into laughter. It was the first time he had witnessed such a laugh. To think that Formo was a long-tailed tit who knew how to laugh. And it wasn’t just any laugh. He had broken through that thick mask-like cautious expression and laughed quite mischievously.
The eyes of Serdin, who had been quietly watching Formo’s face, darkened.
To think that such a small long-tailed tit who could laugh so brightly only had five years left to live.
The more he was reminded of that fact, the worse his mood became.
“You know, Pipi.”
When Serdin called out in a low voice, Formo’s gaze turned toward him. For some reason, the wretched human’s expression was somewhat serious. Did he have something important to say? For instance, positive things like sending him back, setting him free, or unwrapping the ridiculous bandage around his head.
Serdin gazed into Formo’s transparent eyes and asked in a small voice.
“When are you going to give me a kiss?”
“……”
Of course. What was he even expecting? He was an idiot for hoping even a little. Formo irritably flapped his wings and turned his head away sharply. Should he really just peck him hard?
“Pipi, then how about this?”
Even knowing he’d be fooled again, Formo couldn’t help but look at Serdin, who asked in a tempting voice.
“I’ll take Pipi outside, so give me a kiss.”
At those words, Formo’s eyes widened. He was surprised that Serdin was offering to take him outside before he even demanded it. It was a very radical proposal that piqued his interest. Formo wanted to immediately agree, but he deliberately pretended to ponder, rolling his eyes around.
He thought that if he did this, maybe Serdin would make another proposal with slightly better conditions. However, perhaps Serdin was a fox rather than a human, because—
“If you don’t want to, never mind.”
—with those words, he pretended to withdraw the offer. Startled by this, Formo jumped up from his spot and squeaked loudly.
“Ppiit!”
Yes, let’s do that. It was a chirp packed full of such meaning. Finally having obtained what he wanted, Serdin extended his hand with a satisfied expression. Formo coyly placed his foot on his hand with a tap and climbed up briskly.
His soft and plump bottom swayed pleasantly from side to side before plopping down onto Serdin’s palm. His head ached thinking about the price he’d have to pay, but wasn’t it something that could be solved by thinking about it a little differently?
……Wait. Wouldn’t it be not so bad to give him a hard peck on the cheek in the name of a kiss?
Right, wasn’t there such a good method? Formo smiled wickedly and flashed a gleam in his eyes.
Having settled into a comfortable position on Serdin’s large hand, Formo pointed at the door and urged him on.
“Ppi, ppi!”
Serdin let out a small laugh at Formo’s chirping that seemed to say “let’s hurry and go,” then turned the doorknob. The moment they left the stuffy bedroom, it felt like he could breathe. His mood instantly improved, and Formo hummed an incomprehensible tune while gently swaying his tail feathers.
“Pipi, are you that happy?”
Serdin asked while lightly rubbing his cheek against Formo’s round head, then sniffed. From Formo’s head rose a warm and savory scent like sunlight. At the mouth-watering smell that was beyond words, Serdin’s lips curved into a smile.
Unaware of this, Formo continued to build up his anticipation for the walk. Serdin walked as slowly as possible toward the lower floor. However, feeling something was off about the excessively slow pace, Formo pressed him with a dissatisfied expression, forcing him to pick up the speed.
“You know very well that you can’t use your wings, right Pipi? If you use your wings again this time…… something really serious might happen.”
“Ppii.”
“You’re answering half-heartedly again.”
“Ppiiii.”
“Pipi, what did I just say? Answer me accurately without leaving out a single word.”
Serdin even stopped walking and asked Formo with a serious expression. Formo, who had been planning to answer carelessly and move on, was dumbfounded by the sudden time given to respond.
‘So…… did he tell me not to throw a tantrum?’
That sounds plausible enough. Since he had been particularly prickly and sensitive, it was likely he said to tone down his bad temper. Formo opened his eyes innocently and replied curtly.
“Ppii, ppi.”
“Wrong, Pipi.”
Serdin shook his head firmly without even knowing what Formo had answered. It was an action without a hint of hesitation, as if certain that Formo’s answer was completely wrong. At such an absurd and cunning behavior, Formo narrowed his eyes.
“Pipi, since you got it wrong, you have to give me five more kisses. I wouldn’t mind kissing Pipi either.”
It was pure nonsense. Perhaps he had asked with this intention from the start. Formo glared at Serdin with fiercely raised eyes, then turned his head away sharply. As always, he decided to pretend he hadn’t heard this time as well.
After the trivial squabble, Formo was finally able to get some fresh air in the outdoor space called the rear garden. While frantically enjoying the breeze, Formo turned his head and discovered an enormously large building.
It was a very grand size. The building was so large that the spacious bedroom where Formo had been wasting his time seemed small in comparison. No matter how ignorant Formo was about the ways of the world, even he could tell that a building of this size must be extremely expensive and valuable.
Formo couldn’t understand at all how the wretched human possessed enough wealth and honor to live in such a place. Didn’t he always do nothing but laze around idly? Rather, it would make more sense if Kert, who worked diligently, was the owner of this building. That would seem much fairer too.
“Pipi, isn’t there something you need to do before the walk?”
Since he had granted Formo’s request to some extent, now it was time to receive compensation. Serdin brought his hand holding Formo close to his own face. Then he smiled, narrowing his eyes softly.
